Are you a veterinarian? Are you running a veterinary clinic or perhaps planning to open one soon? Then you’ve got your work cut out for you as you put up your pet clinic.
Though a vet may not be as busy as a hospital for humans, it is never a reason not to adhere to certain standards. And with the pandemic affecting the veterinary industry, you must plan your steps carefully.
One of the key aspects you need to work on is your clinic’s safety and cleanliness. This means investing in the best veterinary supplies available. These supplies will be your arsenal against infection, contamination, and other health risks.
But what exactly are these items that you need from your trusted veterinary supply store? Continue reading below for the key aspects to cover and the supplies that you need.
Start With Your Hands
Since your hands are your primary method for handling your furry pets, you need to ensure its cleanliness before and after treating your patients. Thus, the first thing to write on your veterinary supplies list is your hand hygiene items.
These items include antibacterial soap, alcohol-based sanitizers, and medical-grade gloves.
When it comes to hand hygiene, you and your staff who will come in close contact with the pets should wash your hands before and after handling the latter. This is a non-negotiable practice that everyone in your team should follow.
Also, avoid touching patients without wearing your gloves. The gloves will be your first line of defense against contact with pathogens. Moreover, wear your gloves when cleaning key areas. These include the cages of the pets, as well as the examination table.
Most of the infections within the clinic happen after touching the pets. The same thing goes for spaces where the patients stayed. The moment you or your staff take off your gloves, you expose your hands to all sorts of pathogens.
This is more evident, especially after surgery. Thus, you need to go straight to the washroom and clean your hands with soap and water.
If there’s only minimal contact with the pet, you may use your hand sanitizer. When applying the sanitizer, make sure it covers the entirety of your hands.
Dishwasher for Your Bowls
Another set of items you need to get from a reputable vet shop are the bowls. You want to get several sets of bowls that you can use for different purposes.
Since some of the pets that require monitoring may need to stay in your clinic, each one of them should have individual bowls for feeding. Moreover, you need to give them another bowl for water.
When choosing the right types of bowls, pick the ones that are veterinary-grade. This will ensure that the bowls meet the standards that are safe for pet use.
When it comes to storage, keep them in a safe and accessible spot. By safe, we mean a place that is far from the plates and utensils that you and your staff use.
As far as cleaning the bowls goes, you can use commercial dishwashers. The good thing with dishwashers is that they can heat the water at a level that will help kill the pathogens.
But in case you don’t have a dishwasher, you can soak the bowls in bleach. Alternatively, you can soak them in accelerated hydrogen peroxide. Make sure to do the soaking only after washing the bowls thoroughly.
Use warm water and some antibacterial dish detergent when washing the bowls.
Disinfectants are a Must
Another essential tool that you need in your veterinary practice is a regular supply of disinfectants. It is not enough that you clean your workspace; you also need to disinfect it after.
The two processes are different. Cleaning involves the mechanical removal of all organic material. In the case of your pet clinic, this covers all the fur, feces, urine, dirt, and other secretions.
After removing these materials, you need to clean the area using soap and water. You may also use a general cleaning for this step.
Thereafter, the disinfection begins. Since disinfection involves killing the pathogens, you need to get the right kind of disinfectant.
Keep in mind that not all disinfectants are equal. Hence, you need to read the labels and follow the preparation steps to the dot. The key is to achieve the proper ratio for the dilution of the disinfectant.
Some disinfectants also double as cleaners. These are practical options especially if you’re only starting with your vet business.
Some disinfectants come with flowery scents. This will help your pet clinic smell good.
You can find these veterinary cleaning supplies from reputable sources online.
Scrubs Work
You also need to invest in work scrubs. Scrubs are essential, especially during surgical procedures. They protect you from organic materials that may come in contact during the procedure.
Special cases like parvovirus in dogs can leave a messy sight. It also comes with a lot of health risks considering the infection the parvovirus brings.
In such cases, your work scrubs will come in handy. In case you opt not to use one, make sure to launder your work clothes thoroughly.
Textiles and Disposals
Last but not least, you need to invest in surgical drapes and multipurpose paper towels. With all the fluids and secretions that you will encounter, you need to have enough stock of paper towels and tissues.
The same thing goes with surgical drapes.
And after completing the surgery, you need to dispose of the waste accordingly. Thus, you need to invest in some quality waste bins and animal carcass disposal bags.
Go Beyond Veterinary Supplies
By getting the right kinds of veterinary supplies, you can keep your clinic clean and safe at all times. You can also protect not only your patients but also your staff and the pet owners alike. But having all the hygiene tools is only one of the areas you need to cover.
Learn more about managing your business by reading our other articles. We share important tips that will help you succeed in the noble industry of pet care.
